Bench Rest Shooting

[Balljoint]

Is anyone on this form shooting true Bench Rest

[stevec]

My wife and I are. not shooting it well :) but shooting it just the same.

Steve

[82boy]

What do you call "True benchrest?"
Are you asking about shooting matches, and if so what type of benchrest matches? Are you talking Registered or club match's, Are you talking short range (100-300 yards) or long range (600-1000)? To go further are you wanting to know if it is for score, or group. Are you wanting to know what classes such as varmint, hunter, or sporter?

I am a member of both NBRSA and IBS. I shoot both long range and short range benchrest. I shoot both club matches and registered match's. In short range I shoot a light varmint gun in both light and heavy varmint class. I shoot both score and group. In long range I shoot light gun in both light and heavy gun.

[rjtfroggy]

82boy I too am interested in trying my hand at "Benchrest" but it will only be short range because of a lack of or non existence of long range ranges in the Ct. area.
So I followed your suggestion and got the book by Glen Newick, problem is according to him if you want to be successful or even just compete our chosen actions and rifles won't cut it due to many defects they have built in. I will say there is a lot of good information in the book just a lot contrary to Savage's.
I found out that a IBS record holder from the past (.155@200) lives 25 minutes from me and a couple of guys at the range I shoot at have custom Rems. built by him. and he does do a nice job building a tactical accurate rifle.
Next week I am going to watch a match at the other range I belong to and see if I can't learn something more about the sport.
Sorry for the high jack Balljoint.

[Balljoint]

I'm asking as i am thinking about trying to shoot some bench rest with my Savage .308 F/TR and maybe with my new AR as IBS is including some AR class's in shoots, have never tyred BR shooting other than sighting in with a rest.
The local club i belong has no BR shoots so travel would be involved so would have to find a shoot close too Philly Pa were i live

[geargrinder]

You could always warm up with our own email match. No travel involved.

Click the link in my sig.

[stevec]

Balljoint, I would suggest going to a club match and asking questions and looking at rigs. Club matches are more layed back than registered matches and most everybody is more than happy to help out the new guy.

I will warn you it is addictive!

Froggy, you can compete with a savage. My rifle is capable of shooting mid 1 aggs. I have done it at home, shooting on low wind days. I usualy come in around the middle of the pack at matches.
here is my BR rig
savage 12
krieger barrel in 6-204
homade stock

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff108/stevecphoto/6-204%20project/100_0277.jpg

Steve

[82boy]

So I followed your suggestion and got the book by Glen Newick, problem is according to him if you want to be successful or even just compete our chosen actions and rifles won't cut it due to many defects they have built in. I will say there is a lot of good information in the book just a lot contrary to Savage's.


First off you have to remember that that book was written in 1989, even though the book is dated it is one of the best books out there. Back in 1989 there was no Sharp Shooters Supply,(Fred was working on Remington's back then) there was no good triggers, and all the thing we have for Savages today. Even today BR shooters look down on Savages, one they don't know what is available for them, and two they have never tried to build one. The fact is no one has ever one a registered match with a Savage.

My advise is going to sound anti-savage; In short range benchrest a Savage is a great gun to build up, and will hang with the custom action if done right, but when it come to cost you are better off building a custom action gun.



I'm asking as i am thinking about trying to shoot some bench rest with my Savage .308 F/TR and maybe with my new AR as IBS is including some AR class's in shoots, have never tyred BR shooting other than sighting in with a rest.
The local club i belong has no BR shoots so travel would be involved so would have to find a shoot close too Philly Pa were i live


PA is what I would call the birth place of benchrest, I shoot with some of the old timers that use to shoot 1000 yard match's in PA back in the mid 1960's and it is amazing looking at their equipment from back then. Boy things have changed. There are some dang good shooters from over that way. Your FTR would be an OK choice for a long range match, I would not try it in short range.

[82boy]

I found out that a IBS record holder from the past (.155@200) lives 25 minutes from me and a couple of guys at the range I shoot at have custom Rems. built by him. and he does do a nice job building a tactical accurate rifle.


If you dont mind me asking, Who is he?

[rjtfroggy]

In bound PM

[Dirk]

Is it a secret or something? Why not enlighten all of us? >:(

[Blue Avenger]

Is it a secret or something? Why not enlighten all of us? >:(
You don't think he deserves a little respect and privacy?

[rjtfroggy]

Blue my thoughts exactly. I have never met the man, only heard of him through some of his customers and don't feel I have the right to place anything about what I have heard on a public forum.
Something more of us should adhere to.

[Dirk]

Is it a secret or something? Why not enlighten all of us? >:(
You don't think he deserves a little respect and privacy?

I think if this man is already a record holder, he is already known. It's not like we were asking for his SS# and telephone number! >:(

[pa hog]

Nelson, there are three IBS shoots (including a two day) at Mainville each year.

[Danley]

I shoot in a monthly match we have here in Central Alabama. I`ve been shooting in the "Factory" class, but may also shoot in Unlimited in the next month or two ... my Brux barreled 6BR (500yd F-Class gun) has shown some pretty promising groups at 100. Not looking to win, but want to see the faces when a Savage in a tactical stock shows up & aggs in the mid .2`s against all them custom action 6ppc`s.

Low to mid .4`s usually wins Factory
In the neighborhood of .200 usually wins Unlimited around here

[memilanuk]

What about shooting score (i.e. 'Hunter' or VFS) BR?

One local club has a fairly active (not 'large' but active) group of Hunter BR types... right now they are busy doing some last minute improvements to the range as they are hosting the NBRSA Hunter BR Nationals here in a couple weeks.

I know a number of them from the local gun shop, and I have memberships at both 'rifle' clubs in the valley - this one is actually closer to my house. Years ago I flipped a coin and went with HP instead of BR, and that lead me into F-Class... but these guys have been bugging me for the last couple years to try Hunter BR. Every time a used gun is up for sale, I'm awful dang tempted.

Part of me really wants to have a Stolle actioned rifle, just to say I have it ;) but the rest of me wants to see if I can make a go of it with a Savage Target Action. My biggest concern is actually making weight with that big solid steel action, as opposed to the light-weight aluminum of the Stolle. Normally I'd just say the heck with it and go for the 13.5# HV class, but it seems like the BR boys tend to skew a lot of the events/awards towards the 10.5# LV class? How much hacking and swiss-cheezing would be involved in taking a Target Action (like a LRPV repeater), barreling it up in .30x47L and then getting it to make weight for LV? Would a standard SSS BR stock work, or would something else be in order?

[82boy]

Out of all the custom actions I would pick a Stole, I have Bats, and wish I would have gone Stole. The Savage action is not that much heavier than a Bat action, and making weight with one would be about the same, the problem is finding a stock. I have a aftermarket laminate stock with a Douglass barrel in a Savage varmint contour at 22 inches my complete gun weighs in a 10.3 lbs. With my #7 contour 22 inch Krieger it weighs in at 10.62 lbs. The Krieger barrel weighs in at just under 5 lbs, the Douglass barrel weighs in at just over 4 lbs. Hunter class has a weight limit of 10 lbs.
If I was to build a gun it would be with a tom Meridith/Kelby fiberglass stock. The tang to a rem 700 is close enough to work on a savage, if you buy a stock un-inletted but for a rem tang and have it inletted you would be good to go.

[memilanuk]

Sorry 'bout that... for some reason I'd gotten 10.5/13.5 in my head.

I thought 20-21" was considered 'ideal' by the point-blank crowd... any particular reason for 22" and the extra weight?

I started looking at the stock prices... I thought the Kelby was spendy until I saw McMillan's price sheet! ;)

[82boy]

Most people shoot 22 inch barrels.
The believed idea perfect length is 21 3/4's, from the reports of the Houston warehouse.